Tennessee Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) Programs

The American Association of Colleges of Nursing reports on the serious shortage of nursing school faculty. They quote the American Association of Colleges of Nursing opinion that the nation’s nursing shortage will continue due to aging baby boomers. In 2007 the nursing community in Tennessee raised $1.4 million to forgive student loans for nurses with advanced degrees who teach for four years at the college level. The state has also matched this amount. This is an excellent time for nurses interested in obtaining their Master’s of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree in nursing to return to college.

There are several accredited nursing schools in Tennessee. There are also a variety of routes to earning your Master’s degree in Nursing such as online programs, accelerated direct entry programs and RN to MSN programs in Tennessee. Reach out to the schools listed below to get more information about your options.

MSN Degree Program Specialties

Acute Care Nurse Practitioner – ACNP

Adult Nurse Practitioner/Gerontology Nurse Practitioner

Clinical Research Management

Emergency Nurse Practitioner FNP

Forensic Nursing

Neonatal Nurse Practitioner

Nurse – Midwifery

Nursing Informatics

Palliative Care

Pediatric Nurse Practitioner – Acute or Primary Care

Psychiatric–Mental Health Nurse Practitioner

Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner – WHNP

Admission Requirements for MSN Degree Programs in Tennessee

Official transcripts from all college or university education

GPA of 3.0

GRE taken within five years with a satisfactory score

Three letters of reference are required, from faculty members, professional colleagues or work supervisors who can evaluate your potential for success in a graduate program

Applicants must respond to the six application questions, and the writing style and content of your responses will be used in the overall evaluation of your application

Statistics Course

RN applicants must be eligible to practice in the state where they will be completing their clinical preceptorship

Curriculum for Nursing Master’s Degrees in TN

Nursing informatics is one of the newer specialties in nursing that seeks new solutions to improve patient outcomes, lower-costs, create new tools for teaching or patient care over the Internet.

A sample curriculum for an Informatics MSN program could include:

Introduction to Health Informatics

Technology Components of Informatics

Continuous Quality Improvement and Outcomes Measurement

Healthcare Financial Management

ANP Role Within the US Healthcare Delivery System

Web the Development for Healthcare Applications

Consumer Healthcare Informatics

Informatics of Clinical Practice

Clinical Informatics Practicum I,II

Scientific Underpinnings for Advance Nursing Practice

Database Designed for Healthcare Applications

Informatics of Evidence–Based Practice

Conceptualizing and Integration of Evidence for ANP

The American Nurses Credentialing Center offers a credential certification for Informatics Nursing, which is an examination of competency. If you are and American Nursing Association Member the cost for this exam is $200, and it is $350 for nonmembers.

Nursing Salaries for MSN Graduates in Tennessee

The annual nursing salary, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics in May 2013, for a nurse practitioner is $92,400 annually. The average annual salary for a nurse anesthetists is $145,020 and for a nurse midwife it is $82,890 annually. The annual salary for a nursing instructor or teacher is $55,760.

Financial Aid and Scholarships for Tennessee Nursing Students

If you are a lower income student in need help with your tuition be sure to visit the Financial Aid Office at your University and fill out a FAFSA application, which is a federal grant. Your financial status with be evaluated. The Health Resources and Services Administration also offers various low-interest loans and grants.

The Tennessee Student Assistants Corporation has a Graduate Nursing Loan–Forgiveness Program. This program is designed to encourage Tennessee RNs to become teachers and administrators in Tennessee nursing education programs.

In order to qualify for this program the applicants must meet the following criteria:

Be a Tennessee resident and a U.S. citizen

Have an unencumbered Tennessee nursing license

Be enrolled in an eligible master’s degree or postmaster’s degree nursing educational program at an eligible institution

The recipient of this loan forgiveness program is required to sign a promissory note. You will then be obligated for four years of full-time employment to receive loan forgiveness. If this obligation is not met, the award must be repaid in full.

This is an excellent time to continue your education and make a career change as you may find it rewarding and it may substantially increase your income. Contact the nursing schools in Tennessee that offer MSN degrees to learn more.